Empress Dowager Hu, formally Empress Ling (ιηε), was an empress dowager of the Xianbei-led Chinese Northern Wei dynasty (515β528). She was a concubine of Emperor Xuanwu, and she became regent and empress dowager after her son Emperor Xiaoming became emperor after Emperor Xuanwu's death in 515. She was considered to be intelligent but overly lenient, and during her regency, many agrarian rebellions occurred while corruption raged among imperial officials. In 528, she was believed to have poisoned her son Emperor Xiaoming after he tried to have her lover Zheng Yan (ιεΌ) executed. This caused the general Erzhu Rong to attack and capture the capital Luoyang. Erzhu threw her into the Yellow River to drown.
Empress Dowager Hu of Northern Wei
On May 17, in the year 528, Empress Dowager Hu of Northern Wei. This event is recorded as a Notable Deaths event in the history of May 17, one of 434 recorded events on this date across all of history.
1 notable person is associated with this event, including Empress Dowager Hu (Northern Wei). Learn more below.
Key Facts
- This event took place on May 17, 528 (AD era).
- It is categorised as a Notable Deaths event in recorded history.
- Referenced in 2 Wikipedia articles.
- 1 notable person is recorded as involved in or associated with this event.
- Wikipedia source last updated on 12 May 2026.
On This Date in History 434
This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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